Lid for jars of steam tables



V. S. CORDER. LID FIOR JARS OF STEAM TABLES.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

Patented Get. 19, 1922.

users STATES VANCE S. CORIJER', OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LID FOR JARS OF STEAM TABLES.

Application filed October 31, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VANcn S. Connnn, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in thecounty of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lids for Jars of Steam Tables, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to covers for cool:- ing dishes and the like, andmore particularly to covers which are especially adapted for closing theearthen pots of steam tables.

The object of the invention is toprovide a cover which may be foldedupon itself in such a manner as to uncover but a portion of a receptacleand the folded portions will lie upon the undisturbed portion within theconfines of the top of the receptacle so as to not interfere with thefree access of tlieother adjacent receptacles of the steam table.

It is also an object to provide a cover having a multiple fold so thatonly a small portion of the area of the top of the receptacle may beuncovered if desired or a major portion thereof uncovered to gain fulland free access to the receptacle.

A further object is to provide simple and convenient means for attachingthe cover to the receptacle to hold it firmly yet detachably in placethereon so that the foldable portions of the cover may be manipulatedwithout displacement of the cover from the receptacle.

It'is also an object of the invention to pro vide certain other new anduseful features in the construction and arrangement whereby the cover ismade particularly adaptable for application to the pots of steam tablesas such receptacles are commonly constructed.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in thematters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing inwhichi Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steam table pot provided with acover illustrative of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section with the cover in closedposition, and

Fig. i is a similar view with the cover in folded position.

The earthen pots of steam tables as ordinarily constructed comprise abody 1 having Serial No. 511,601.

an upper outwardly projecting and rounded edge flange 2 .with an annularrib or lip 3 projecting from the outer face of the body and located at ashort distance below and parallel with therib 2. This flange 3 isprovided to support the pot within the opening in the steam table, theflange resting upon the top of the table.

Ordinarily these pots are provided with the ordinary removable coversbut to gain access to a pot the cover must be removed and laid aside,thus opening the entire top of the pot which permits the contents tocool rapidly. Further it is necessary to find some place to place theremoved cover and it is usually laid aside on some other portion of thesteam table and must be again moved in order to get it out of the waywhen it is desired to gain access to some other pot of the table.

In the present construction the cover is formed of a plurality ofsections. the section 4 being a stationary section which is secured tothe rim 2 of the pot in a manner hereinafter described. A centraltransverse section 5 is attached to the stationary section f by means ofa hinge 6 and a front section 7 is attached to the forward end of thesection 5 by means of a hinge 8. The pintle 9 of the hinge 6i lies abovethe plane of the cover so that the section 5 may be folded or swung overand upon the section 4: and the pintle 10 of the hinge 8 lies below theplane of the cover so that the front section 7 may be folded or turnedinwardly relative to the section 5 to lie flat upon the inner face ofsaid section 5, said hinge 8 being of a length to fit within the rim ofthe pot so that the cover may lie fiat upon the rim and the hinge willproject slightly into the pot and not interfere with the engagement ofthe rim portion of the cover in lying flat upon the rim of the pot. Toaid in the manipulation of the cover, a handle 11 is provided on thefront section 7 and this section is formed with a notch 12 in its edgeso that a spoon or ladle may be left in the pot and the cover closed,the stem or handle of the spoon or ladle extending through the notch.

The fined portion 4 of'the cover is detachably secured to the rim of thepot by providing said section with a downwardly bent rim 13 which iscurved inwardly to fit the curvature of the lower side of the rim 2 ofthe pot and along its lower edge this rim 13 is turned outwardly to forman edge groove 14 to receive a securing wire 15 adapted to encircle thepot and secure the rim 13 of the section 4 infirm engagement with therim of the pot. This wire hoop 15 is formed lIlllO a coil 16 adjacentone end and the end of the coil is provided with an eye to receive ahooked end 17 of the opposite end of the hoop. The coil 16 thus providesresiliency for the hoop so that it can be expanded in the direction ofits length and when placed in the groove 14 and around the pot, theresiliency of this spring will cause the hoop to firmly hold it in placeand detachably secure the section 4 of the cover to the pot. The coveris thus held upon the pot against detachment for manipulating the hingedsections but may be quickly and conveniently removed for the purpose ofcleaning the cover or the pot.

Because of the particular manner in which the sections are hingedtogether the hinge 6 lies above the plane of the cover and the hinge Slying below this plane, when the operator grasps the handle 11 thetendency of the cover will be to turn upon both of its hinges, thejointed connection between the sections 5 and 7 swinging upwardly aboutthe hinge 6 and thus it is only necessary to push rearwardly against thehandle with a slight lifting motion to open the cover.

If it isdesired to open only a small portion of the pot, the frontsection 7 only may be swung upon its hinge, but if it is desired that amajor portion of the top of the pot be opened up, then the sect-ions 5and 7 may be manipulated, the section 5 swinging baclrwardly and foldingflat upon the upper surface of the fixed section 4: and the section 7folding downwardly upon the inner sur face of the section 5 so that thethree sections will then be in superposed relation adjacent one edge ofthe receptacle where they will be out of the way and where they will alllie substantially within the confines of the periphery of the receptacleand where they will not interfere with free access to other adjacentpots located in the steam table. If found desirable, the section 7, whenthe cover is in unfolded position as shown in Fig. 4, may be swungbackwardly as shown in dotted lines to remove it from over the section 5which will then form a flat sur' face upon which dishes may be placed.

Obviously any desired number of hinge connected sections may be employedand other changes in the construction and malt ner of securing a coverin place upon the pot may be made and used within the scope of theappended claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.Such changes being contemplated, I do not therefore limit myself to theparticular construe tion shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what lcclaim is:

l. A cover for the purpose described comprising a plurality of hingeconnected sections with the hinge connection of certain sections lyingabove the plane of the upper surface of said sections, and the hinge connection of other of said sections lying below the plane of the lowersurface of said sections, and means for attaching one of said sectionsto a receptacle.

2. A cover for the purpose described comprising a plurality of hingeconnected sec tions adapted to fold, one upon another and to lie,folded, in superposed relation upon one of the end sections with all ofsaid sec tions substantially within the confines of the plane of theperiphery of a receptacle to which said cover is attached, and means forconnecting said end section to a receptacle.

3. A cover for receptacles, comprising a plurality of hinge connectedsections, a flange on one end section of said series to engage a rim ofa receptacle, and means engaging said flange to detachably secure saidsect-ion to said receptacle.

4:. A cover for receptacles, comprising a plurality of hinge connectedsections, a handle upon an end section of said series, a flange upon theother end section of the se ries to engage beneath a rim on a receptacleand formed with an edge groove, and a hoop to embrace the receptacle andengage the groove for detachably hold ng said section in place upon thereceptacle.

5. A cover for pots of a steam table, comprising a plurality of hingeconnected sections with said hinges extending across the cover inparallel relation to permit the folding of said sections, one uponanother and all upon an end section, downwardly ex tending flange onsaid end section to engage beneath a flange on a pot, said flange beingformed with an outturned edge portion forming a groove, and a hoop toembrace the pot below its flange and to lie within said groove, said.hoop being resilient to clamp said flange in place against the pot.

In testimony whereof I affix my ture in presence of two witnesses.

VANCE CUE-DER.

Witnesses: I

ANNA M. Donn, Or'ro- F. BARTHEL.

